Figured I'd post the projects I've been working on over the past two weeks, although I've been too engrossed in them to remember taking regular in-progress pics.. Since I'm planning to mod pretty much every model as I get them, expect a lot of teasers. I'll take more frequent pictures, promise

Low-profile piranhaThe change to wing and engine placement improves the firing arcs of the main armament and presents a slightly smaller profile to infantry. Model is mostly done, still need to decide on how I want to magnetise the turret and then just clean it up with greenstuff and sandpaper before painting it. The fuselage still comes apart for detail work on the interior.

I have similar plans for my tx-42, but I really want to finish this one before I chop up Forgeworld parts..

*sharkI didn't really like the snubnose on our sunshark and razorshark fliers so I loosely modelled one on the TX-42's, still a ton of shaping to go.. I'm hoping I can make a blue stuff mold of it when it's done so I can replicate it on future shark acquisitions.

I agree with the comments already posted. It's funny, I didn't consciously realize why I didn't like the original Sunshark model, but as soon as I saw your modified nose, it's pretty clear. Your version is, in my mind, a significant improvement.

The shark reminds my (aborted) attempt to rebuild in 3D our ugly flyers when they came out, based on the A10 Warthog pattern:It is cool that you sucessfully achieve a good nose profile. And the missile inclusion on the sides is brilliant.

Glad you guys like them Always struck me as weird that the skimmers were more aerodynamic than the fliers thankfully I noticed the similarities of their cross sections.

Did a dryfit of the piranha while waiting for the greenstuff to set:

Just lacking magnets so I can finish the turret now..

Actually got a lot done on the *sharks last night (well, this morning, technically )Bashed together the turrets, but didn't get around to greenstuffing them. No idea how I'm going to do the drones yet..Theres still SO much work to be done on the fuselage.. Having to wait a full 24 hours for greenstuff to fully harden is.. yeah.

Razorshark

Sunshark

Closeups

I want to paint the pulse bombs in layers, inner layer glowing and streaks of energy embedded in layers of clear glue (wood glue?)I'll have to set up my airbrush and experiment this weekend

Mmh i think i don't like the Quad Ion Turret on the front. It makes the back part a bit useless for the Razorshark and he is also not an interceptor but a fighter instead so he doesn't really need a nose mounted main weapon.

I like the overall flyer conversion but I think that I'll have to agree with Panzer. The quad turret on front looks good, but it makes the back look a bit weird and unbalanced by comparison. Having such a large targeting array on the back seems to serve no purpose and the shape of the tail/supports are clearly designed to be around Something important.

The pulse bomb dropper looks cool and I can't wait to see it painted up. Lots of potential there! Keep up the good work

PS: I don't own a Tau flyer so I only just no noticed the pipe on the underside of the tail that take the absolute longest route to get from point A to point B. Tau engineering at its finest!

Interesting idea for the flyer. I was thinking about a project with separating the cannons from the quad ion turret in two parts and put each of them under the wings (I thought about using the drone as a base for the "small turrets").

I think your razorshark look pretty cool like this. I always thought the quad ion turret in the original model was made more for ground attack than flyer dogfight. Putting the main cannon on the front/nose makes it more believable to hunt enemy planes.

Magarch wrote:I always thought the quad ion turret in the original model was made more for ground attack than flyer dogfight. Putting the main cannon on the front/nose makes it more believable to hunt enemy planes.

You were thinking right. It's an attack flyer and no interceptor since Death from the Skies and thus brings it more in line with its appearance.

Personally I prefer the quad-ion under the nose as it has all of the same firing arcs that it would have if it was mounted under the tail (and better). While a strike fighter usually does strafing runs on ground targets it will at times have to engage other fighters or shoot down enemy bombers.I do agree that the tail ends up looking.. lumpy, but I'm also limited with the parts I have easily available as I may want to replicate the shark for a squad at some point...

Fly in low, drop the piranhas off a few Tor'kan from the target, swoop in over the treeline in a strafing run and while the target is scrambling to respond the piranhas strike their rear Could even swing around and come back for a second strafing run..

Depending on the piranhas makeup you would need to ship it into the atmosphere by different means, or at least keep the crew in an orca, assuming the piranha itself can handle vacuum and re-entry